This invention relates to a trap and more particular to a trap for use with an ice fishing hole.
Ice fishing is a common activity in colder climates which involves boring an ice fishing hole through a sheet of ice which lies over a body of water, for example a river or lake having fish therein. Once the ice fishing hole is bored, the hole typically fills partway with water from the underlying body of water which rises up through the hole. The individuals proceed to fish by inserting fishing lines through the hole. Once a fish is caught on the end of one of the fishing lines, the line and the fish caught thereon are pulled up through the ice fishing hole.
A common problem when pulling a fish up through an ice fishing hole involves the fish coming loose from the fishing line such that the fish is lost by falling back into the ice fishing hole. This can occur, for example, as a result of the change in buoyancy of the fish as the fish is pulled from the water causing the fish to tear loose from the fishing line or as a result of a break in the fishing line as the fish fights from being pulled from the water. Once the fish is free from the fishing line, it generally cannot be recovered and is undesirably lost into the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,767 to Traut provides a manually actuated gate which is positioned within an ice fishing hole by an elongate handle. The gate is a significant obstruction to fish passing through the hole even when in an open position. The requirement for manual activation and the use of a single gate member makes it difficult to catch a fish until the fish has been pulled completely past the gate member otherwise the fish will likely be lost.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,777 to Olszowka provides a gate for positioning across the opening within an ice fishing hole, wherein the gate is supported on a frame within the hole by an elongate handle. The gate is an open mesh which makes it difficult to thread a fishing line past the gate. If the fishing line is threaded through the mesh any fish subsequently caught on the fishing line will be directed into the mesh of the gate as opposed to be pulled past the gate. The frame supporting the gate thereon provides a further obstruction to fish which are attempted to be pulled past the gate. Also as noted above, the use of a single gate member makes it difficult to catch a fish until the fish has been pulled completely past the gate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,220 to Harris provides an ice fishing trap having an elongate tubular housing for positioning within an ice fishing hole, wherein the housing has a single gate member mounted across a bottom end thereof. The gate member is a plate pivotally mounted on the housing and having a slot at a free end thereof for receiving a fishing line therethrough. The minimal clearance of the slot would make it very difficult to thread a fishing line therethrough without having to pull the entire trap out of the ice fishing hole. Furthermore as also noted above, the single gate member does not allow a fish to be caught partway through but rather requires the fish to be pulled completely past the gate such that the gate closes behind the fish in order to trap the fish within the ice fishing hole.
According to the present invention there is provided a trap for trapping a fish within an ice fishing hole, the trap comprising:
a frame arranged to extend across the hole, the frame having an opening extending therethrough between respective top and bottom sides thereof;
a support extending outwardly from the frame for suspending the frame therefrom within the hole;
a plurality of retainer members mounted on the frame at spaced positions around a periphery of the opening, the retainer members being movable between a closed position wherein the retainer members extend inwardly from the periphery of the opening to respective free ends suspended partway across the opening and an open position wherein the retainer members extend upwardly from the periphery of the opening so as to permit passage of the fish through the opening;
and stop means arranged to restrict downward movement of the retainer members in the closed position.
The use of multiple retainer members as in the present invention defines a plurality of gates, each extending only part way across the opening of an ice fishing hole such that each gate terminates at a free end positioned adjacent a center of the ice fishing hole. In this arrangement a fish is gently guided through the center of the opening free from obstruction of the frame of the trap. When a fish is pulled partway through the opening in the frame the free ends of the gates engage opposing sides of the fish to grip the fish therebetween. Multiple gates further permits different lengths of gates to be used for gripping the fish at different longitudinal positions along the fish which is being pulled in an upright direction through the opening to further secure a fish therein even if the fish has only been pulled partway through the opening.
Each retainer member is preferably a generally triangular member extending from a base thereof mounted on the frame and tapering inwardly towards the free end thereof. In this arrangement a plurality of the retainer members are able to substantially enclose a circular opening in a closed position.
The retainer member may be evenly spaced circumferentially about the opening so as to provide a space between each adjacent pair of retainer member which allows a fishing line to be easily threaded therethrough.
There may be provided at least two different sizes of retainer members spanning across the opening in varying amounts in the closed position so as to grip a fish therebetween when the flaps are in the open position at multiple locations along the fish.
The multiple configurations of retainer members may comprise a plurality of primary retainer members each having a free end which is positioned adjacent a centre of the opening in the closed position and a plurality of secondary retainer members mounted between the respective primary retainer members wherein each secondary retainer member extends only partway towards the centre of the opening in the closed position.
The free end of each retainer member may comprise a blunt gripping end for engaging a fish between the respective free ends of the retainer members as a fish is pulled therethrough without damaging the fish.
The free end of each retainer member may be formed of a gripping material to further assist in gripping the fish.
Each retainer member may comprise a substantially smooth and flat plate member so as not to inhibit passage of the fish therethrough until the fish is restricted between the respective free ends of the retainer members.
The retainer members may be formed of a substantially transparent material. The use of transparent material makes the retainer members less visible to fish such that the fish is less likely to fight being pulled therethrough.
The stop means may comprise a shoulder on the frame, wherein each retainer member is mounted on the frame such that a portion of the retainer member rests on the shoulder in the closed position.
Alternatively the stop means may comprise a stop associated with each retainer member, each stop being mounted on the frame for restricting pivotal movement of the retainer member in a downward direction towards the bottom side of the frame from the closed position.
The frame may comprise a sleeve of rigid material, the sleeve being suitably sized to fill a conventional size ice fishing hole. The sleeve provides a suitable opening for passage of a fish therethrough with minimal obstruction.
In one arrangement, there may be provided a hinge mounting each retainer member on the frame for pivotal movement of the respective free ends of the retainer members relative to the frame.
Alternatively, each retainer member may include a base of flexible material opposite the free end thereof which mounts the corresponding retainer member on the frame for relative pivotal movement by flexing the base. Any arrangement which allows the free ends of the respective retainer members to be displaced upwardly and outwardly along a substantially arcuate path would be suitable.
The support may comprise at least one support arm extending upward from the top side of the frame, the support arm mounting a handle thereon which extends radially outward from the support arm to engage a top side of a sheet of ice in which the ice fishing hole is located and suspend the frame therefrom.
There may be provided an adjustable mount mounting the handle on the support arm such that the handle is adjustable in height relative to the support arm for suspending the frame within an ice fishing hole at different relative heights.
A pair of the support arms may be mounted on the frame on diametrically opposed sides of the opening, each support arm mounting a handle thereon. This provides a stable arrangement for easily lifting the trap from the hole.
The support arm may include at least one folding joint therein such that the support arm is collapsible in length for storage.
There may be provided a plurality of evenly spaced markings along the support arm for indicating a depth at which the frame is suspended within an ice fishing hole.